By the FigureNerd team · Last reviewed: · Methodology
Deck Cost CalculatorMaterials and labor, by size, material, and region
Deck Cost Calculator
Enter your deck size, material, and location to see a realistic cost range for materials and labor.
Your deck
320 sq ft (16x20 ft) is a common suburban deck footprint.
Each stair section typically adds $400 to $1,500 depending on material.
Drives the labor cost multiplier. Material pricing below assumes national-average retail pricing regardless of region.
Advanced inputs
Rough national average. Verify your local permit fee with your building department; this figure does not model jurisdiction-specific fee schedules.
Low, mid, and high estimate
Materials and labor separated
7 decking materials compared
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A deck adds outdoor living space and resale value, but the price spread is wide. Pressure-treated lumber runs far less per square foot than Trex or composite. The inputs below account for material, height, stairs, and your region so the number you see reflects a real project, not a textbook average.
Last reviewed September 2026
Reviewed by the FigureNerd construction team. Per-material cost benchmarks are checked against HomeAdvisor’s 2026 deck cost data and Fixr’s published decking price ranges. Verify current pricing with a licensed contractor before finalizing your budget.
Deck cost estimate
$14,700
320 sq ft, Pressure-Treated Pine, Low Height, National Average
Low
$10,300
$32/sq ft
Mid
$14,700
$46/sq ft
High
$19,800
$62/sq ft
Materials and labor shown separately. Doing the work yourself? Your cost is the materials subtotal only. Contractor bids typically land in the mid-to-high range once labor is added.
Elevated deck note: some municipalities require an engineered deck plan for decks 6+ ft above grade, adding roughly $500 to $1,500 in design fees on top of this estimate. Confirm with your local building department.
DIY materials-only costIf you supply your own labor, your cost is approximately the materials subtotal shown below, plus your permit allowance.
Cost breakdown by category
Low, mid, and high estimate, stacked by category. Labor is typically half or more of total cost.
Line item
Low
Mid
High
Cost-per-sq-ft reference
Installed cost (materials + labor) by material, national average 2026.
Material
Low
Mid
High
Material comparison: 30-year cost perspective
Upfront cost, typical lifespan, and maintenance level by material.
Material
Upfront/sq ft
Lifespan
Maintenance
Pressure-Treated
$10 – $20
15 to 25 yrs
Medium (stain/seal every 2 to 3 yrs)
Cedar
$15 – $19
20 to 30 yrs
Low to Medium
Composite (mid)
$25 – $54
25 to 30 yrs
Very Low
Trex (premium)
$10 – $27
30+ yrs
Minimal
PVC
$17 – $33
30+ yrs
Minimal
What this estimate does not include. Footing depth in this calculator uses a flat footing-type multiplier, not your local frost line. A homeowner in Maine may need footings twice as deep as one in Georgia, which affects labor cost more than this tool can model without your zip code. This estimate also does not include HOA design review fees, utility locate costs, or the cost of removing an existing deck. Material prices shown are checked against HomeAdvisor’s 2026 deck cost data and Fixr’s published decking price ranges (RSMeans remains pending, behind a paid subscription); lumber and composite pricing can move 10 to 20 percent within a year. Verify current pricing with your local supplier or contractor before finalizing your budget.
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Pricing out lumber, composite boards, or hardware?
Home Depot and Lowe's stock pressure-treated lumber, Trex and composite decking, railing systems, and structural hardware with pickup or delivery.
Affiliate disclosure: FigureNerd may earn a commission if you use this link. No cost to you. Awin application pending as of this build; link target is the retailer homepage until approved.
This calculator starts with an installed cost-per-square-foot range for your chosen decking material, then builds out separate line items for decking boards, framing and hardware, footings and posts, railing, and stairs, plus labor and a permit allowance. Materials typically run 40 to 46 percent of total cost, and labor 52 to 57 percent, consistent with FigureNerd planning estimates. Railing cost scales with the linear footage of your deck's perimeter, estimated from your total square footage using a typical rectangular deck shape. Stair cost scales with the number of sections you enter. Footing type, height above ground, and region all apply multipliers on top of the base estimate.
The DIY question: labor is typically half or more of total deck cost. If you are comfortable pulling a permit, scheduling inspections, and framing to code, the materials subtotal shown above is roughly what you would spend doing the work yourself. Elevated decks (above 2 ft) are a meaningfully bigger undertaking than a ground-level deck and are not a typical first DIY project.
What drives deck cost the most
Material choice
Decking material is the single biggest lever on total cost. Pressure-treated pine is the least expensive option per square foot. Composite and Trex cost roughly double pressure-treated but need little to no staining or sealing over their lifespan. Ipe and other tropical hardwoods sit at the top of the range in both material cost and expected lifespan.
Height above ground and footing type
A low deck under 2 ft typically does not require code-mandated railing and uses simpler surface-mount or shallow footings. A deck elevated 6 ft or more needs structural posts, code-required railing, and often deeper or engineered footings, plus in some jurisdictions a stamped engineered plan. Footing depth itself is driven by your local frost line, not by height alone. This calculator applies a footing-type multiplier but does not know your specific frost depth.
Region
The region input adjusts labor cost only. Material pricing in this calculator assumes national-average retail pricing regardless of region; real lumber and composite pricing does vary somewhat by region due to transport and supply chain factors, which this tool does not model separately.
Bottom line: use this calculator to get the right order of magnitude for your deck budget, then get two or three contractor quotes for your specific site, material, and local permit requirements. The gap between this estimate and your actual quotes tells you where your local market and site conditions have moved the number.
Estimates are designed for planning purposes based on 2026 national-average cost data. Actual costs may vary based on your local contractor rates, material availability, site conditions, and permit requirements. Consult a licensed contractor for a binding quote. This tool is provided for educational and planning use only and does not constitute professional construction, engineering, or financial advice.